Thursday, October 02, 2008

Rebecca Budig, two-time Emmy nominee, Soap Opera Digest Award winner and star of All My Children, will host The NephCure Foundation’s Countdown to a Cure 2008 event on Thursday, October 30, at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows, NY. The NephCure Foundation has set a goal of collecting $600,000 in donations at this year’s dinner.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.S. Senator from New York , will serve as Chair of the Honorary Committee for the second consecutive year. The evening, consisting of dinner, silent and live auctions, reception and awards presentations, will honor four real-life heroes who have showed continued dedication to The NephCure Foundation and its mission.

All proceeds from the event will go directly to fund research into two debilitating kidney conditions, Nephrotic Syndrome and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS are kidney function afflictions that impact men, women and children of all ages around the world, affecting mobility, requiring heavy medication and often dialysis or transplant as a last resort.

“Giving back to the community is something that has always been very important to me,” said Rebecca. “It’s organizations like NephCure that make a difference in the world today, and I am more than happy to lend them my full support.”

“We are thrilled to have Rebecca as the host for Countdown to a Cure 2008, and would like to thank her for her dedication to our mission,” said Henry Brehm, Executive Director of The NephCure Foundation. “We are confident that her strong presence in the public eye will draw attention to these two devastating kidney conditions.”

Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS are conditions that affect the tiny filtering units (glomeruli) in the kidney. The result is that protein needed by the body is discarded into the urine. Over time, these conditions can result in renal failure and the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant. The primary cause for most forms of Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS are not known and there is no cure.

Based in Berwyn, PA, 20 miles west of Philadelphia, The NephCure Foundation is the only organization solely committed to seeking a cause and cure for primary Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS. Comprised of patients, their families and friends, researchers, physicians and other healthcare professionals, Nephcure aims to help science unlock the biological mechanisms that cause these serious conditions and ultimately find a way to cure and prevent them. Further information can be obtained at www.nephcure.org.